Form for molding grave markers and the like in situ



June 3; 1947. E. A. BAILEY 2,421,535

FORM FOR MOLDING GRAVE MARKERS AND THE LIKE IN SITU Filed May 25, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I I} (19 22 w I s gp v. a

ii i i INVENTOR ELGA Hue/v 5011.5).

" ATTORNEY Jun 3, 1.947.

E. A. BAILEY 2,421,535

FORM FOR MOLDING GRAVE MARKERS AND THE LIKE IN SITU Filed May 25, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 .J fl u l I 12 (5 INVENTOR 1 Ema ALLEN Bauer.

ATTORNEY FORM FOR MOLDING GRAVE MARKERS AND THE LIKE IN SITU Filed May 25, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 MEMORIAL INVENTOR 1.60 HLLE/v BaILEr BY WM ATTORNEY Patented June 3, 1947 FORllI FOR MOLDING GRAVE MARKERS AND THE LIKE IN SITU Elga Allen Bailey, Butler, Pa.

Application May 25, 1945, Serial No. 595,725

10 Claims. 1

My invention relates to mold forms, and more particularly to molds for use in the forming of cemetery memorials, grave markers, road markers, etc., for both above ground and surface settings.

One object of my invention is to provide a shipping package for a metal tablet and various pieces of equipment or apparatus which are required in the forming of a molded monolithic body or base for the memorial tablet or the like, which package itself may be employed as part of the form into which concrete or artificial stone mixture is placed at the site of installation, the package and its contained mold-forming elements, being suificiently' complete to enable the purchaser to make an installation without securing other mold parts elsewhere.

Another object of my invention is to provide a mold form that can readily be adapted to suit ground surfaces of various contours or slopes and which is readily adaptable to the forming of molded monuments, markers, etc., either with 'the top surface thereof flush with the ground or with a substantial part of the molded body extending above the surface of the ground.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a mold form of such character that it will be of sufficient strength to serve its purpose but nevertheless may be manufactured so cheaply as to permit discarding of the parts after one use.

Another advantage incident to my invention is the'fact that a molded marker can be provided with a lower portion that is imbedded deeply enough in the ground to avoid heaving through frost and with an upper portion above ground, formed integrally with one another by a single pouring operation, by usin standard mold forms which are nevertheless adaptable to various conditions in the way of character of the soil, the form of monument or marker required, etc.

As shown in the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an end view of a mold assembled for a marker or monument that is to extend above the ground surface; Fig, 2 is a plan view thereof; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view; Fig. 4 shows the form placed in position upon substantially level ground ready for pouring of the concrete or artificial stone mixture; Fig. 5 shows the use of the mold placed in steeply sloping ground and flush with the ground surface; Fig.

6 shows the mold as employed in making a The carton l2 of Fig. 11 may suitably be made of ordinary heavy corrugated or treated cardboard, the wide sides of which are designated by the numeral l3, the narrow edge faces by the numeral l4 and the end flaps by the numeral I5. This carton will contain the various articles or items required in the installation of a marker, including the metal name-plate IS; a pair of ply-wood board I1; front and rear boards l8 and I 9 respectively; a pairof anchoring strips 20; molding strips 2|; a rectangular ply-wood band or frame 22, four stakes or posts 23, and

two aligning strips 24. y

It will be understood that thesevarious parts, including the carton, may be formed of any suitable materials other than cardboard and'plywood, such for example as ordinary wood, metal or plastics. g

As shown in Fig. 2, aligning and stiffening strips 24 are tacked or otherwise attached to the upper edges of the ply-wood sides 3 and IS. The molding strips 2| are tacked or glued into place, to give the exposed portion of the molded marker a bevel shape at its vertical corners, as shown in Fig. 9 to reduce danger of accidentally chipping of said corners after installation.

In installing the mold form, an excavation of suitable size will be made, whereupon the rectangular frame member 22 will be slid to the desired position in the corrugated board form member, the carton will be attached at its corners to stakes 23 setinto the ground, and the stakes driven down lightly, where required, as in the case of earth which is soft or tends to cave. These stakes are part of the original contents of the package.

The upper mold form members 11, I8 and I9 will be fastened together in rectangular form by metal clips 26 and may additionally be fastened by mortise connections and glue at 21. This rectangular form is then inserted into the corrugated board form above the frame member 22 and these members fastened to the box or lower form, by nails 25, as shown in Fig. 3. The anchoring strips 20 are secured to this upper portion of the mold at ground level and located so that the top of the form l2 will be level, without regard to the slope of the ground surface, in such position that they will rest upon the ground or be partly imbedded therein and may suitably be nailed to the board I1, so as to rigidly support the mold in mroper alignment, as indicated .in Fig. 4.

After placing of the form with the corner strips 2| glued or tacked in place therein, the mold will be filled with the plastic concrete .to.the.top of the upper portion of the moldform, and-.themetal plate [6 with the desired lettering, numbers, etc., set into the concrete, the plate having anchoring studs 28 formed integrally therewith. After setting of the concrete, the upper ply-wood'form will be removed, and any visible portion of thecardboard cut away, leavingthe marker or monument as shown-in Fi s. :9 and :10. x-That part-of the EmQILOIllEh'WhlCh isbelow.- the surfa-ceof theground may fee :of ;ordinary concrete and the upper ,part of alspecial mixture :such as artificial stone, .but ,insanyievent, therewillbeganintegral rigidstruc- .tllic wherein the exposed ,portion of :the :monu- :ment twill-be. held firmly against displacement.

.;Ref.errin .now ,to Fig. .5, I show the mold far- =ranged:to:form a monolith .forsupportingaplate :such as ;flush with the ,ground surf ace, where the ground slopes. In this case, the .frame memiberl-22 .Will be pushed more deeply into the .=form 2, so thatzthermemhers 1'! will be-flush with the zground suriaoe, rat-their :upperaedges, the anchor- -:ing 'strips "120 being secured tothe upper end of ithezmoldiorm. Theflower portion 1 2 of the mold emayibe adjusted .or :set at various angular 1 tions, iby .widening the excavation at one side, .near its bottom and widening the top thereof at the opposite-side, itherebyiacilitating desired-ac- :curate alignment of ithe upper-ply-wood portion of the .mold .which.can "be tilted .or. rockedwto perhapsa'30" slope, to exactlytheanglen-equired'for alignment with the surface of the ground, and it will be held there byplacing :some dirt :around i the lower form, and by .the anchoring :strips 520, 'during pouring of the concrete. The :entire form usually-will be left in the ground.

In Fig. 6, the upper and lower mold :parts :are shown-in position =for forming .a monolith whose top surface is substantially flush with approximately level ground. In this case, the upper plywood formofF-igs. 1 and-dis inverted and inserted below the frame member 2-2, into the lower cardboard 'for-m l2, the anchoring strips '20 then being applied. In this arrangement, the rectangular mold -frame member 22 will be moved to the top edge of the cardboard form. When the concrete has hardened, the strips 21! are removed and the cardboard form permitted to remain in place, since it is level with or below the surface of the ground.

in Figs. 7 and 8, I show'the forming of a monolith flush with the ground surface, by the use of the carton, without the upper ply-wood portion ofthe form. In this case, the carton is inserted in the excavation, and the stakes 23 driven when necessary, in the corners, and using the bracing Irame .22 and theanchoring strips for stiffen- .ing and aligning the upper edge of the form and as guides for aligning the marker plate.

In this case, and also in the case of the other .Iorms when necessary, the cardboard portion of the .form canbe held against rising or creeping up, by folding the lower end walls It into place 4 between the corner posts 23, to cover the bottom of the excavation, so that the weight of the concrete on this carton end member I5 will hold the form down when pouring.

I claim as my invention:

1. A mold comprising a box insertible into an excavation in the ground and open at its'upper end, and serving as the lower portion of the mold, asubstantiallyrigid upper moldmember-of openended box-like Iform, insertible :into the upper part of the lower mold portion, and means independent of the lower mold .portion, for aligning .andsupportingtheupper mold portion at the surface of the ground.

2. A mold comprising a box insertible into an excavationin the ground and open at its upper end and serving as the lower portion of the mold,

a substantially rigid upper mold member of open- .ended box-like form, having telescopic engagement with the upper part of the lower mold portion, and means independentof the-lower mold :portion, .for aligning and supporting the upper moldportion at rthe-suriace of theground.

.3. A mold comprising a box insertible into an excavation in the ground and open at its upper end, :and serving as the lower-portion of :the. mold, ;a-substantially.-rigiduppermoldmemberoropen- .en-ded box-like form, chatting telescopic engagement with the upper part of the :lower mold portion, and-means independent 'of the .lower mold portion, for "aligning and supporting the upper mold :portion at the surface of .the ground, the aligning I and supporting means comprising strips .atzopposite sides of the upper mold portion, that are parallel to -iand-engageable with the surtace of the ground, and :being of .greater length than the width of said sides.

4. A mold comprising a box insertible into .an excavation in the ground .and open atits upper end, a horizontallydisposed stifiening band fitting within the :upper :portion :of the :box, and aligning and supporting strips secured to opposite-sides of the 'box, :in parallelism with the surface of the ground :and engageable therewith, and :being of greater length than the width -of said :side's.

-5. .A mold comprising :a' box insertible into an excavation in "the ground and open at its upper end, 'a horizontally-disposed stiffening 'band fitting within the upper portion .of the "box, and aligning and supporting :str-ips secured to opposite sides of the box, in parallelism with the surface 'of the ground and engageable therewith, and being of greater length than the width of :said sides, and stakes positioned in the vertical corners of the box and ,partially extending into the ground below the box. I

.6. A cmold comprising abox open at its upper end and .in-sertible into the. ground, and serving as the lower portion of the mold, a substantially rigid upper mold member of open-endedbox-like '-form having "telescopic engagement with --the upper part of the zlowerzmold .portion, and having one end thereof sloped, and aligning and supporting strips secured to :opposite sides of the upper mold member, .in parallelism with and engageable with the surface of the ground.

.A :mold comprising a box open at its upper end and :insertible into the ground, and serving :as the lower portion of 'themold, :a substantially mold member, in parallelism with and engageable with the surface of the ground, either end of the upper mold member being insertible into the lower mold member, for desired distances, whereby a monolith can be cast in the mold, with its top either horizontal or inclined and either flush with the surface of the ground or projecting a desired distance above the surface.

8. A mold comprising a box insertible into an excavation in the ground and open at its upper end, and serving as the lower portion of the mold, a substantially rigid upper mold member of open-ended box-like form, insertible into the upper part of the lower mold portion, a horizontally-disposed stiffening band fitting within the upper part of the lower mold portion, and an upper mold portion of box-like form open at its ends and extending into the box and resting upon the upper edge of said band, and posts in the vertical corners of the box, below the band.

9. A mold comprising a box open at its upper end and insertible into an excavation in the ground, a horizontally-disposed stiffening band fitting the upper portion of the box, and aligning and supporting strips on the box for anchoring and aligning the upper portion of the box with respect to the surface of the ground.

10. A mold comprising a box of corrugated cardboard open at its upper end and insertible into an excavation in the ground, a horizontallydisposed stiifening band carried by the upper portion of the box, and an upper mold member of box-like form open at its ends, which is of greater rigidity than the cardboard box and having telescopic engagement therewith, the cardboard box being adapted to fit into the excavation, below the surface of the ground and the upper mold member being adjustable to place its upper end at various distances above the ground surface.

ELGA ALLEN BAILEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 991,121 Watt May 2, 1911 1,134,854 Hoy Apr. 6, 1915 

